Arrangements in place for polling in Erode
The Hindu
Arrangements are in place at the 1,219 polling stations for smooth conduct of urban local bodies elections in the district on Saturday.
Election is to be held for 59 councillors’ posts in the Corporation, 102 councillors’ posts in the Municipalities of Gobichettipalayam, Sathyamangalam, Punjai Puliyampatti and Bhavani and 612 ward members’ posts in Town Panchayats in the district. Since two candidates died in the wards in Ammapettai and Athani town panchayats, elections were cancelled for the two wards.
A total of 2,722 candidates are competing for 769 posts and the polling will be held from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday. Electors with COVID-19 symptoms will be allowed to exercise their franchise wearing personal protective equipment from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. A total of 4,876 poll officers have been appointed to conduct the election.
Officials said that closed circuit television cameras have been installed in all the booths, while web cameras and 55 micro observers were appointed to monitor the process in the sensitive booths. Additional policemen were posted for duty to prevent untoward incidents in such booths.
On Friday, Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and poll materials were despatched to the polling stations amid tight security. In the Corporation, poll materials were despatched from the Kamarajar Higher Secondary School at Karungalpalayam to the polling stations in 59 wards through 40 mobile vehicles. District Election Officer and Collector H. Krishnanunni inspected the process. Likewise, materials to polling stations in municipalities and town panchayats were despatched and the booths are kept ready.
After polling, the EVMs used in the Corporation limits will be kept in halls at the counting centre at IRTT, Chithode, while EVMs used in municipalities and town panchayats will be kept in the strong rooms at 12 centres across the district. Three-tier security will be in place at the centres where votes will be counted on February 22.
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